1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to vehicle fenders, more specifically to a vehicle bumper cushioned in several ways by fluid means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with patents for air-filled rubber bumpers for vehicles.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,904, patented by A. Materi, Jun. 16, 1959, describes a pneumatic rubber tube permanently sealed within a hollow rubber casing which has a plurality of laterally spaced apart, ribbed rubber extensions molded or vulcanized to the body of the casing. Each extension has slots between the ribs to increase overall resiliency of the extension and to permit the extension to be cut with a knife to adjust its length from the casing. Bracket plates welded to posts on the body of the vehicle are flanged to receive the most distant rib of the extension.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,054, patented by R. Gouirand, Sep. 5, 1972, describes an air bag air suspension system coupled to an air bag bumper by a slow return air valve. The back of the bumper air bag is attached to a first bumper plate which is coupled to the end of the vehicles chassis. The front of the bumper air bag is attached to a second bumper plate which is pivotally secured to the first bumper plate, the air bag being between the first and second bumper plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,141 patented by G. Igwe, Aug. 13, 1974, describes an inflated tube attached by bolts to a rigid backing plate on the front of the vehicle. A metal band having a length slightly less than the length of the tube, extends the length of the tube in contact with the front of the tube and has its ends attached to the backing plate so that the band enclosing the pressurized tube prestresses the backing plate so that the structure returns to its original shape after being temporarily distorted by an impact.